green mansions-第28节

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stage；　to　be　occupied　in　the　distant　future　by　millions　and　myriads　of　beings；　like　us　of　upright　form；　the　nations　that　will　be　born　when　all　the　existing　dominant　races　on　the　globe　and　the　civilizations　they　represent　have　perished　as　utterly　as　those　who　sculptured　the　stones　of　old　Tiahuanacofrom　this　theatre　of　palms　prepared　for　a　drama　unlike　any　which　the　Immortals　have　yet　witnessedI　hurried　away；　and　then　slowly　conducted　her　along　the　Atlantic　coast；　listening　to　the　thunder　of　its　great　waves；　and　pausing　at　intervals　to　survey　some　maritime　city。

Never　probably　since　old　Father　Noah　divided　the　earth　among　his　sons　had　so　grand　a　geographical　discourse　been　delivered；　and　having　finished；　I　sat　down；　exhausted　with　my　efforts；　and　mopped　my　brow；　but　glad　that　my　huge　task　was　over；　and　satisfied　that　I　had　convinced　her　of　the　futility　of　her　wish　to　see　the　world　for　herself。

Her　excitement　had　passed　away　by　now。　　She　was　standing　a　little　apart　from　me；　her　eyes　cast　down　and　thoughtful。　　At　length　she　approached　me　and　said；　waving　her　hand　all　round：　〃What　is　beyond　the　mountains　over　there；　beyond　the　cities　on　that　sidebeyond　the　world？〃

〃Water；　only　water。　　Did　I　not　tell　you？〃　　I　returned　stoutly；　for　I　had；　of　course；　sunk　the　Isthmus　of　Panama　beneath　the　sea。　


〃Water！　　All　round？〃　　she　persisted。

〃Yes。〃

〃Water；　and　no　beyond？　　Only　wateralways　water？〃

I　could　no　longer　adhere　to　so　gross　a　lie。　　She　was　too　intelligent；　and　I　loved　her　too　much。　　Standing　up；　I　pointed　to　distant　mountains　and　isolated　peaks。

〃Look　at　those　peaks；〃　I　said。　　〃It　is　like　that　with　the　worldthis　world　we　are　standing　on。　　Beyond　that　great　water　that　flows　all　round　the　world；　but　far　away；　so　far　that　it　would　take　months　in　a　big　boat　to　reach　them；　there　are　islands；　some　small；　others　as　large　as　this　world。　　But；　Rima；　they　are　so　far　away；　so　impossible　to　reach；　that　it　is　useless　to　speak　or　to　think　of　them。　　They　are　to　us　like　the　sun　and　moon　and　stars；　to　which　we　cannot　fly。　　And　now　sit　down　and　rest　by　my　side；　for　you　know　everything。〃

She　glanced　at　me　with　troubled　eyes。

〃Nothing　do　I　knownothing　have　you　told　me。　　Did　I　not　say　that　mountains　and　rivers　and　forests　are　nothing？　　Tell　me　about　all　the　people　in　the　world。　　Look！　　there　is　Cuzco　over　there；　a　city　like　no　other　in　the　worlddid　you　not　tell　me　so？　　Of　the　people　nothing。　　Are　they　also　different　from　all　others　in　the　world？〃

〃I　will　tell　you　that　if　you　will　first　answer　me　one　question；　Rima。〃

She　drew　a　little　nearer；　curious　to　hear；　but　was　silent。

〃Promise　that　you　will　answer　me；〃　I　persisted；　and　as　she　continued　silent；　I　added：　〃Shall　I　not　ask　you；　then？〃

〃Say；〃　she　murmured。

〃Why　do　you　wish　to　know　about　the　people　of　Cuzco？〃

She　flashed　a　look　at　me；　then　averted　her　face。　　For　some　moments　she　stood　hesitating；　then；　coming　closer；　touched　me　on　the　shoulder　and　said　softly：　〃Turn　away；　do　not　look　at　me。〃

I　obeyed；　and　bending　so　close　that　I　felt　her　warm　breath　on　my　neck；　she　whispered：　〃Are　the　people　in　Cuzco　like　me？　　Would　they　understand　methe　things　you　cannot　understand？　　Do　you　know？〃

Her　tremulous　voice　betrayed　her　agitation；　and　her　words；　I　imagined；　revealed　the　motive　of　her　action　in　bringing　me　to　the　summit　of　Ytaioa；　and　of　her　desire　to　visit　and　know　all　the　various　peoples　inhabiting　the　world。　　She　had　begun　to　realize；　after　knowing　me；　her　isolation　and　unlikeness　to　others；　and　at　the　same　time　to　dream　that　all　human　beings　might　not　be　unlike　her　and　unable　to　understand　her　mysterious　speech　and　to　enter　into　her　thoughts　and　feelings。

〃I　can　answer　that　question；　Rima；〃　I　said。　　〃Ah；　no；　poor　child；　there　are　none　there　like　younot　one；　not　one。　　Of　all　therepriests；　soldiers；　merchants；　workmen；　white；　black；　red；　and　mixed；　men　and　women；　old　and　young；　rich　and　poor；　ugly　and　beautifulnot　one　would　understand　the　sweet　language　you　speak。〃

She　said　nothing；　and　glancing　round；　I　discovered　that　she　was　walking　away；　her　fingers　clasped　before　her；　her　eyes　cast　down；　and　looking　profoundly　dejected。　　Jumping　up；　I　hurried　after　her。　　〃Listen！〃　　I　said；　coming　to　her　side。　　〃Do　you　know　that　there　are　others　in　the　world　like　you　who　would　understand　your　speech？〃

〃Oh；　do　I　not！　　Yesmother　told　me。　　I　was　young　when　you　died；　but；　O　mother；　why　did　you　not　tell　me　more？〃

〃But　where？〃

〃Oh；　do　you　not　think　that　I　would　go　to　them　if　I　knewthat　I　would　ask？〃

〃Does　Nuflo　know？〃

She　shook　her　head；　walking　dejectedly　along。

〃But　have　you　asked　him？〃　　I　persisted。

〃Have　I　not！　　Not　oncenot　a　hundred　times。〃

Suddenly　she　paused。　　〃Look；〃　she　said；　〃now　we　are　standing　in　Guayana　again。　　And　over　there　in　Brazil；　and　up　there　towards　the　Cordilleras；　it　is　unknown。　　And　there　are　people　there。　　Come；　let　us　go　and　seek　for　my　mother's　people　in　that　place。　　With　grandfather；　but　not　the　dogs；　they　would　frighten　the　animals　and　betray　us　by　barking　to　cruel　men　who　would　slay　us　with　poisoned　arrows。〃

〃O　Rima；　can　you　not　understand？　　It　is　too　far。　　And　your　grandfather；　poor　old　man；　would　die　of　weariness　and　hunger　and　old　age　in　some　strange　forest。〃

〃Would　he　dieold　grandfather？　　Then　we　could　cover　him　up　with　palm　leaves　in　the　forest　and　leave　him。　　It　would　not　be　grandfather；　only　his　body　that　must　turn　to　dust。　　He　would　be　awayaway　where　the　stars　are。　　We　should　not　die；　but　go　on；　and　on；　and　on。〃

To　continue　the　discussion　seemed　hopeless。　　I　was　silent；　thinking　of　what　I　had　heardthat　there　were　others　like　her　somewhere　in　that　vast　green　world；　so　much　of　it　imperfectly　known；　so　many　districts　never　yet　explored　by　white　men。　　True；　it　was　strange　that　no　report　of　such　a　race　had　reached　the　ears　of　any　traveller；　yet　here　was　Rima　herself　at　my　side；　a　living　proof　that　such　a　race　did　exist。　　Nuflo　probably　knew　more　than　he　would　say；　I　had　failed；　as　we　have　seen；　to　win　the　secret　from　him　by　fair　means；　and　could　not　have　recourse　to　foulthe　rack　and　thumbscrewto　wring　it　from　him。　　To　the　Indians　she　was　only　an　object　of　superstitious　feara　daughter　of　the　Didiand　to　them　nothing　of　her　origin　was　known。　　And　she；　poor　girl；　had　only　a　vague　remembrance　of　a　few　words　heard　in　childhood　from　her　mother；　and　probably　not　rightly　understood。

While　these　thoughts　had　been　passing　through　my　mind；　Rima　had　been　standing　silent　by；　waiting；　perhaps；　for　an　answer　to　her　last　words。　　Then　stooping；　she　picked　up　a　small　pebble　and　tossed　it　three　or　four　yards　away。

〃Do　you　see　where　it　fell？〃　　she　cried；　turning　towards　me。　　〃That　is　on　the　border　of　Guayanais　it　not？　　Let　us　go　there　first。〃

〃Rime；　how　you　distress　me！　　We　cannot　go　there。　　It　is　all　a　savage　wilderness；　almost　unknown　to　mena　blank　on　the　map〃

〃The　map？speak　no　word　that　I　do　not　understand。〃

In　a　very　few　words　I　explained　my　meaning；　even　fewer　would　have　sufficed；　so　quick　was　her　apprehension。

〃If　it　is　a　blank；〃　she　returned　quickly；　〃then　you　know　of　nothing　to　stop　usno　river　we　cannot　swim；　and　no　great　mountains　like　those　where　Quito　is。〃

〃But　I　happen　to　know；　Rima；　for　it　has　been　related　to　me　by　old　Indians；　that　of　all　places　that　is　the　most　difficult　of　access。　There　is　a　river　there；　and　although　it　is　not　on　the　map；　it　would　prove　more　impassable　to　us　than　the　mighty　Orinoco　and　Amazon。　　It　has　vast　malarious　swamps　on　its　borders；　overgrown　with　dense　forest；　teeming　with　savage　and　venomous　animals；　so　that　even　the　Indians　dare　not　venture　near　it。　　And　even　before　the　river　is　reached；　there　is　a　range　of　precipitous　mountains　called　by　the　same　namejust　there　where　your　pebble　fellthe　mountains　of　Riolama〃

Hardly　had　the　name　fallen　from　my　lips　before　a　change　swift　as　lightning　came　over　her　countenance；　all　doubt；　anxiety；　petulance；　hope；　and　despondence；　and　these　in　ever…varying　degrees；　chasing　each　other　like　shadows；　had　vanished；　and　she　was　instinct　and　burning　with　some　new　powerful　emotion　which　had　flashed　into　her　soul。

〃Riolama！　　Riolama！〃　　she　repeated　so　rapidly　and　in　a　tone　so　sharp　that　it　tingled　in　the　brain。　　〃That　is　the　place　I　am　seeking！　　There　was　my　mother　foundthere　are　her　people　and　mine！　　Therefore　was　I　called　Riolamathat　is　my　name！〃

〃Rima！〃　　I　returned；　astonished　at　her　words。

〃No；　no；　noRiolama。　　When　I　was　a　child；　and　the　priest　baptized　me；　he　named　me　Riolamathe　place　where　my　mother　was　found。　　But　it　was　long　to　say；　and　they　called　me　Rima。〃

Suddenly　she　became　still　and　then　cried　in　a　ringing　voice：

〃And　he　knew　it　all　alongthat　old　manhe　knew　that　Riolama　was　nearonly　there　where　the　pebble　fellthat　we　could　go　there！〃

While　speaking　she　turned　towards　her　home；　pointing　with　raised　hand。　　Her　whole　appearance　now　reminded　me　of　that　first　meeting　with　her　when　the　serpent　bit　me；　the　soft　red　of　her　irides　shone　like　fire；　her　delicate　skin　seemed　to　glow　with　an　intense　rose　colour；　and　her　frame　trembled　with　her　agitation；　so　that　her　loose　cloud　of　hair　was　in　motion　as　if　blown　through　by　the　wind。

〃Traitor！　　Traitor！〃　　she　cried；　still　　looking　homewards　and　using　quick；　passionate　gestures。　　〃